ALCOHOLOGY.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 3, 28 June 1911, Page 6

ALCOHOLOGY.

A VOICE FROM LABRADOR. (Published by Arrangement). Dr. Grenfoll, C.M.G., who has worked so long among the people of that inhospitable climate, said: "Nature starts us as teetotalers; sho starts us on her 'milky way' without any idea of our afterwards taking to alcoholic liquors. It is not long, however, before temptation assails us, no matter what, rank we are born in. Then Nature gives us a little special protection, because she sets the palate of every human being against atcoliol at the start. But the boy and the girl are imitative animals, and they imitate the grown-ups. The boy grows up; his ambition and curiosity, which in earlier years sometimes set him agog after some form of vice, stilt remain. But he soon forgets Nature's warning, until the time comes when Nature, having for a while seemed to let him alone, takes a very arbitrary course and plays some curious tricks. She then not only encourages the man, but at last brings upon him a punishment which, although not always swift, is indeed very severe. In this connection, Jhen, there rests upon every man and woman a very great responsibility, for nobody is entitled to say that what he does is nobody else's business; what everybody does is everybody else's business, little though we may like it, and especially when we act by way of example in either the domestic or social circle." What Dr. Grenfell wants us to remember is that we must be exceedingly careful how we form habits of using alcoholic drinks, or encourage others in so | doing. If any man drink, he thereby [ encourages others to drink: he may [ think that he can drink without injurin'" himself, though herein tho moderate drinker is mistaken, yet he sets others drinking who cannot'stop. Holy Writ i has this plain yarning: "No man liveth to himself." Experience proves ' the truth of this. Notice at tho Supreme Court tlm other day how a man just j escaped gaol. He was a drinker, so it seems by the Judge's remarks, and, in his fuddled condition produced by drink, did ; what was veTy near approaching to a crime. It is to be hoped that he, and others, too, will take this as a warning against taking the enemy into their mouths to steal away their brains" ALCOHOL DETERIORATES CHARACTER. Dr. Cutten in his work, "Psychology of Alcoholism," shows abundent proof of ' th ! s - , Wl, y does drink tend to deteriorate character? Because character depends on the highest development of the mental faculties in man; and uiese are the faculties first attacked by alcohol or any other narcotics-opium, chloral, etc. Almost the first phase of moral degeneration in the alcoholic is in his readiness t 0 tell or act a lie, generally in tho place to hide his drinking Dr. Maudlsey, in "Body and°Will," writing of the drunkard, says "There is not a meanness of pretence or of conduct he will itot descend to, nor a lie lie will not tell ... in order to gratify ins absorbing craving." I